Mary Frances "Skeeter" Davis (December 30, 1931 – September 19, 2004) was a… Read Full Bio ↴Mary Frances "Skeeter" Davis (December 30, 1931 – September 19, 2004) was a country music singer and a member of the Grand Ole Opry radio show for more than 40 years. She was best known for her hit song "The End of the World" (1963), one of the most popular American records of the 1960's. One of the first women to achieve major stardom in the country music field as a solo vocalist, she was an acknowledged influence on Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton.

Mary Frances Penick was born on December 30, 1931 in the small Appalachian town of Dry Ridge, Kentucky. As a child, her grandfather nicknamed her "Skeeter" because she was always active and buzzing around like a mosquito. She got her start in music as part of the duo, The Davis Sisters, along with childhood friend, Betty Jack Davis. Thus, Skeeter Davis was born to the rest of the world.

The Davis Sisters sang in the local Lexington, Kentucky area and appeared on local radio WLAX in 1949. From there, they earned radio and television appearances in Detroit, Cincinnati and Wheeling, WV, where they were part of the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree.

In 1952, Skeeter and Betty Jack recorded for Fortune, but won a recording contract with RCA the following year and achieved their first chart success. "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" went to number one on the U.S. country chart and number eighteen on the U.S. pop chart.

Sadly, on August 23, 1953, Skeeter and Betty Jack were involved in a serious car accident in which Betty Jack died and Skeeter was critically injured. It took Skeeter more than a year to recover both physically and mentally. With great difficulty and a lot of persuasion, Skeeter returned to singing with Betty Jack's sister, Georgia Davis, to briefly resume the Davis Sisters' act. But, within a year, the duo broke up and Skeeter pursued a solo career.

She continued to record on the RCA label where she worked with Eddy Arnold and Elvis Presley. In 1955, she toured for RCA on the Caravan of the Stars. Davis teamed up with producer, Chet Atkins and scored her first solo country chart hit in 1958 with "Lost To A Geisha Girl." This was during a time when the female acts were surging forward with "response" songs to some of the biggest hits by male artists. As Kitty Wells had answered Hank Thompson's "Honky Tonk Angels," with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" in 1952, Skeeter Davis put out this answer to Hank Locklin's "Geisha Girl."

A few years later, Davis recorded another answer to a Hank Locklin song and gained another huge hit. Locklin sang "Please Help Me I'm Falling" and Davis' response was, "I Can't Help You, I'm Falling Too."

In 1959, Davis achieved one of her greatest ambitions when she moved to Nashville and became a regular member of the Grand Ole Opry. In 1960, she married WSM personality, Ralph Emery, but the tumultuous marriage ended in 1964.

During the 1960's, Davis was one of RCA's most successful country artists. She harvested 26 U.S. country hits, 12 of which crossed over to the U.S. pop charts. Among these was what was to become her trademark song, the million-selling record "The End Of The World" which peaked at number two in both the U.S. country and pop charts in 1963. She also earned her only UK chart presence with "The End Of The World" which topped out at number eighteen in only thirteen weeks on the chart.

Davis has also acheived songwriting success. Her co-written song "Set Him Free" became her first country Top 10 hit in 1959. She also co-wrote "My Last Date" with Boudleaux Bryant and Floyd Cramer. Cramer, famed pianist and member of the original A-team, recorded it as an instrumental solo and had a million-selling record on it in 1960.

During the 60's and 70's, Davis toured extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Far East. Her solo career started to wane in the 70's, but she still had several more hits such as "Bus Fare To Kentucky," "I'm A Lover, Not A Fighter," and "One Tin Soldier." Her duets with Bobby Bare, George Hamilton IV, and The Bee Gees gave her a few more hits, but by the mid-70's, Davis was reaching the end of her illustrious career. She ended her twenty-two year relationship with RCA in 1974 and charted her last hit for Mercury in 1976 with "I Love Us."

In 1967, Davis recorded a tribute album to Buddy Holly, which featured Waylon Jennings on the guitar. Later in 1972, she also did a tribute album to her friend, Dolly Parton. In 1985, she re-recorded an old Davis Sisters' hit, "May You Never Be Alone," with the group NRBQ. She married Joey Spampanito of NRBQ, but this marriage ultimately ended in divorce as well.

In 1973, Davis was dropped from the Grand Ole Opry's roster due to her strong criticisms of the Nashville Police Department during one of her performances. Her membership was later reinstated.

Davis has also taken to writing about her real life experiences. Her autobiography, "Bus Fare To Kentucky," was published in 1993. Davis pulls no punches in this brutally honest account of her life. She tells how she endured a family history of alcoholism, incest and murder. She also tells her side of the story regarding her four year marriage to Ralph Emery, following the heavy criticism which she received in Emery's autobiography. In 1997, she co-wrote a children's Christmas book, entitled "The Christmas Note," based on her own childhood.

Skeeter Davis passed away September 19th 2004 after a long battle with cancer.

Written by Sherry Anderson. June 2001
* Article appears courtesy of www.countrypolitan.com

What Does It Take
Skeeter Davis Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I guess my loving just ain't good enough for you
Cause every time I turn my head you look at someone new
You're kind don't like walking baby want an easy ride
What does it take to keep a man like you satisfied'
You've got a plan in mind to make things come your way
I wonder if it's worth the price you're gonna have to pay
Cause life is cold and lonely when your self-respect has died
What does it take to keep a man like you satisfied'

You think you need more love than any other man
Someday you'll taste you cup of life and find it filled with sand
And then you'll have to turn and face the man within
From where I stand I don't think you'll be proud of where you've been
And when you're running from yourself there's just no place to hide

What does it take to keep a man like you satisfied'
What does it take to keep a man like you satisfied'

Overall Meaning

In Skeeter Davis's song "What Does It Take," the singer is struggling to understand why her love is not enough to satisfy her partner. She sees him constantly seeking attention and validation from other women, unable to settle for just her. She wonders what it would take to make him content, to keep him from needing to constantly look for something more. She questions his motives and warns him that sooner or later, he will have to face the consequences of his actions and the toll it takes on his own self-worth. She acknowledges that trying to keep someone like him satisfied may come at a high cost, and that he may never truly be happy until he learns to find happiness within himself.

The lyrics of "What Does It Take" convey a sense of resignation and heartbreak, with the singer struggling to come to grips with the fact that her love cannot fulfill her partner's needs. She sees him as restless and unsatisfied, constantly seeking something more, even at the risk of his own self-respect. The provocative line "life is cold and lonely when your self-respect has died" suggests that the singer understands the emotional toll that her partner's behavior is taking on him. Despite her attempts to keep him happy, she recognizes that ultimately he must learn to be content with himself.

Overall, "What Does It Take" is a poignant exploration of the struggles of love and relationships. It speaks to the difficulty of trying to satisfy someone who is constantly seeking validation, and the toll that this can take on both parties involved.

Line by Line Meaning

I guess my loving just ain't good enough for you
I feel like my love is not enough for you, as you always seem to be looking at other women.

Cause every time I turn my head you look at someone new
I notice that you are constantly checking out other women, which makes me feel insecure.

You're kind don't like walking baby want an easy ride
I see that you prefer an effortless life without any struggles, which makes me question your real intentions.

What does it take to keep a man like you satisfied'
I am perplexed and unsure about what I need to do in order to make you happy and content with our relationship.

You've got a plan in mind to make things come your way
I can sense that you have a selfish agenda to get what you want, regardless of how it affects our relationship.

I wonder if it's worth the price you're gonna have to pay
I am skeptical if your pursuit for personal gain is worth the cost of losing me and potentially your self-respect.

Cause life is cold and lonely when your self-respect has died
I think that you will experience a sense of isolation and emptiness if you continue to prioritize your desires over your values and morals.

What does it take to keep a man like you satisfied'
Again, I don't understand what actions or behavior I need to exhibit in order to satisfy you and keep you content.

You think you need more love than any other man
I sense that you have an insatiable need for attention and affection, which is not only unrealistic but also concerning.

Someday you'll taste you cup of life and find it filled with sand
One day, you will realize that your selfish actions and desire for instant gratification are not sustainable and will result in disappointment and dissatisfaction.

And then you'll have to turn and face the man within
Eventually, you will have to confront the negative consequences of your selfish behavior and re-evaluate your priorities and values.

From where I stand I don't think you'll be proud of where you've been
Based on my perspective, I don't think you will look back on your actions and decisions with pride or satisfaction.

And when you're running from yourself there's just no place to hide
I understand that avoiding self-reflection and accountability will only make things worse, and that facing your issues head-on is the only way to move forward.

What does it take to keep a man like you satisfied'
In summary, I am still uncertain about how to make you happy and content in our relationship, but I am also worried about the potential negative consequences of prioritizing your selfish desires over our partnership.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny William Bristol, Vernon Bullock, Harvey Fuqua

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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I guess my loving just ain't good enough for you
Cause every time I turn my head ,You look at someone new
Your kind don't like walking, babe
You won't end easy ride
What does it take, to keep a man like you, satisfied?

You've got a plan in mind ,to make things come your way
I wonder if it's worth the price you have to pay
Cause life gets cold and lonely ,when your self respect has died
What does it take ,to keep a man like you .satisfied?

You think you need more love than any other man
Someday you'll taste your cup of life and find it filled with sand
And then you'll have to turn and face the man within
For where I stand ,I don't think you'll be proud of where you've been
And when you're running from yourself,There's just no place to hide
What does it take ,to keep a man like you, satisfied?
What does it take, to keep a man like you, satisfied?